Yesterday... ( Picture Heavy!)

Was my big 50  birthday!  I had the most amazing day made very special by my lovely family and friends. I hardly know where to begin! I came down to this!

 

Abi had done this after I went to bed.

 

I received some beautiful cards and gifts. There are so many lovely things to show I'll more or less just let the pictures do most of the talking :)

 

This was from my DH. He wanted ideas so I gave him a couple and this is what he gave me. Isn't it beautiful?  The bird is a robin.

 

This was from Abi. Some beautiful earrings and a robin keyring.

 

This was from my DH's auntie. See the robin theme here? Lol. The bodyspray is my favourite body spray :). She also gave me some money.

 

My cute snowman needleminder from my surrogate sis Lisa.

 

This beautiful bracelet and 50 badge is from my dear friend Barb and her DH.

 

Seems a shame to eat this Thorntons plaque fron my DH, Jess, Abi, Billy the budgie, Wesley and Meeko the hamsters! They also gave me a massive 50 badge which I wore all day!

 

Look at this cute sheep tea towel, beautiful fabric and sweet sign from my dear friend Michelle and her family.

 

From my lovely friend Christine a gorgeous ornament. This is so delicate and pretty.

 

These lovely fabrics and threads are my from my dear friend Karan.

 

On the robin theme these were from my lovely friend Mouse. This will be getting stitched next year hopefully :)

 

I received a lovely HAED chart from my dear friend Lesleyanne. Isn't it cute? Love the look on this owl's face.

 

I have just been a given a bottle of champagne from my DH's brotherand his family :). Think we'll be drinking that over the weekend!

 

Last but by no means least a very special gift that left me in total shock and tears. I just cannot express how blessed I feel to have friends who did something so amazing to make my 50th birthday extra special. I was presented with a rather large box by Abigail after I had opened my other wonderful gifts. Inside was this amazing quilt! ! Lainey and Mouse were the master minds behind this and the blocks were stitched by them, Lisa, Chris, June, Michelle, Julie, Kate, Tina, Cath, Gill, Gillie, Jane and Lesleyanne then they were all stitched togther by Mouse. I've taken photos of each block too so you can see how amazing this is.

 

Abi spent some time on Wednesday making me a very tasty marble loaf. Let me tell you this is delicious!

 

I received flowers from family friends.....

 

And my DH :)

 

Just a while ago I was kind of dreading my 50th birthday. Not because I was dreading being 50  but because it's my first one without my Dad. I miss him so much and it was hard not having him here but my family and friends have made it so special and made me feel so loved and special.  Thank you and hugs to each  and every one of you. Love you all xxxx

 

I kept something quiet and only my girls, DH and surrogate sis Lisa knew I had actually made an appointment and was having this done yesterday.

 

Yes a tattoo! I said a couple of years ago if I got to 50 I'd celebrate by having one done. The word Believe is because I don't believe in myself and to remind me to try and the two stars represent my Mum and Dad. I am so proud of myself for getting it done as I wasn't sure I'd go through with it.

 

Afterwards Abi and I went for a deluxe hot chocolate ( mine ), a deluxe milk shake ( Abi's ) and a raspberry and white chocolate muffin!

 

Tonight we are going out for a meal with my sister and her partner! I may just have a new hairstyle too! Lol!

 

I will make that all for now and will be back again in a few days with an update on my stitching and my gorgeous ornament from Chris in our annual Christmas ornament exchange as well as the one I stitched for her :). We got together yesterday afternoon for a  cuppa and a natter :).

 

Until next time.

 

With much love and thanks,

 

Sally xxxx

Welcome December......

My favourite month of the year! It is just so magical.

My DH was off last week and we were out every day doing the festive thing! We had a lovely day at Meadowhall in Sheffield with both girls and also went to MacAthur Glen Outlet near York then into York with Abi which was manic!

I didn't stitch at all on Wednesday evening as by the time we got home, had something to eat and settled down I was too tired to pick it up which is very unusual for me! So no progress on Little House Needleworks Song of the Seasons. So much so for getting it finished by the end of November so I'll now try and ain for the end of the year! If I don't get into the parlour this week over at Needlecraft Haven they will be locking the door and not letting me in again! Lol!

So what I have been stitching.

Part 3 of Holly and Hearts Christmas Sampler is going very well and I hope to be almost done by the time I put it away on Saturday night. I just love this and really want to leave it up all year. It's too pretty to be put away.

Cottage Garden Samplings February's Primrose made an appearance again and I just have the border to do now :). Next year I want to make a journal or see if I can find a suitable one ready made to put these in. I now have July, August and September in my stash so just 3 more to get.

Barb and I have been carrying on with our sweet little sheep and here's my progress on Wisdom. Once this is finished we can start Friendship and we also have the next one at last but I won't be able to start that one until after Christmas providing Father Christmas is kind enough to bring me more of the fabric I'm using :). Just two more to get now!

I have made a bit more progress on my November ornament for the Christmas All Year Round SAL. I would like to get this finished this week so I can start on my December one . I've got rather behind but not to worry. Hopefully they'll both be on my tree by Christmas!

The 4th part of the Jardin Prive SAL is out now so as soon as I get an extension lead out so I can plug the printer in I'll have it printed ready for Barb and I to start on Friday. I still have to stitch the border on Plum Street Samplers Mary's Sampler. I managed to get caught up before the final part came out. I have so much I want to finish this month!

Chris and I started our annual December SAL on Sunday. We chose Country Cottage Needleworks Silent Night this year. Here is my start. I'm using an unknown colour of 32 count Belfast linen that I bought in the Viking Loom at York and DMC. I was going to use the hand dyed threads used in the chart but I decided it was just more expense. I'm going to use good old DMC as much as I can next year rather than hand dyes unless I already have them in my stash.

My Christmas ornament for the exchange on Needlecraft Haven has been received and opening day was 1st December but I can't show it as partners have not been revealed yet because some people are still waiting for theirs. Of course I messed up on mine as it's a secret exchange and I put names on the back lol! Christine please don't shout at me! Lol! Mine arrived today and look how lovely it is! My partner clearly knows me well and I have a sneaking suspicion I know who it is! Thank you so much whoever you are :) Here's the front.

And here's the back.

We put our Christmas decorations up on Sunday. I shed a few tears as we were doing them. I miss my Dad so much.  My stitched ornament tree is looking lovely now with a few more ornaments on. In fact I now have 3 shoe boxes full and need to start on another one. The pictures is not brilliant but will try and get a better one. I have a lovely selection of ornaments both stitched by myself, received in exchanges and stitched by friends for me.

That's it for today. Have wonderful week everyone. It's going to get colder again here later this week. Our temps are up and down like I don't know what! Wish they'd just stay down!

With much love,

Sally xxxx

Finishing Frenzy!

I've finally got my butt into gear and done a little more finishing. My sewing machine came out yesterday so I could get some bits sewn up then last night I decided not to stitch and get some trims etc sewn on. I can't show them all as one is a gift and the other is for an exchange and then I didn't get the trim on the rest! So here's what I did get done that I can show.

Yesterday at craft group I started and finished a wee gift that I now need to attempt to make up in to what it should be! Hmmm. 

As I've been stitching on exchanges and gifts there isn't a deal of stitching I can show. My Cottage Garden Samplings have been on hold but, hopefully, I will be back to those on Sunday. I did get some more house building done on Little House Needleworks Song of the Seasons but decided I needed a break from the house and went and built a snowman instead before putting some windows in! I'd like to get the Winter/ Autumn section finished tonight in the parlour with Barb and the other ladies at Needlecraft Haven :).

I managed to get part 2 of Lizzie Kate Holly and Hearts Christmas Mystery Sampler finished on Saturday just in time for part 3 arriving on Monday :). So I think I'm going to make a start on that this afternoon as I'm having a stitching afternoon with my friend Gill. I'm going to have to be careful with the WDW Oscar though as I don't think I'm going to have enough. 

Barb and I are snow stitching on the little Wisdom sheep. So cute! I got the sheep stitched. I saw the 11th sheep, Gratitude, and it is so sweet! 

Final piece of stitching I can show is another SAL with Barb. This time it's Jardin Prive La Pensee Positive. I've almost finished part 3. My sheep are showing up quite nicely so I'm pleased that I won't have to backstitch then!

I received a lovely package from Michelle last week which contained birthday and Christmas cards and presents. Thank you so much Michelle. I have been a good girl and put them away until the right days. I can't believe that 3 weeks tomorrow I will be 50! I'm looking forward to it and going to welcome it with open arms as so many people I know have not been lucky enough to see 50. I do feel sad though that my Dad is not here and it's going to be a tough first birthday and Christmas without him but I know he would not want us to be unhappy.

It was a good stash day on Monday as I received the latest Just Cross Stitch magazine from Country Designs, the final part of the Lizzie Kate Christmas Mystery from The Crafty Kitten and my order from Crazy Annie's Stitchin. Not everything is shown here as one is a gift and one is to be stitched for a gift! 

Last, but by no means least I received this book from Lois. Lois as been stitching the gorgeous Lo How A Rose from it and kindly offered to send it to me when she had finished so I could stitch it. I'm really looking forward to stitching this as soon as I can get around to it. Thank you so much Lois :)

Well that's it from me for now. If I get anymore bits stitched up I may well be back at the weekend!

I need to catch up with you all. I seem to be way behind but will make time this week to visit :)

Until next time.

With much love.

Sally

xxx